BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE ANALYSIS
Senator Martha M. Escutia, Chair
BILL NO: SB 1770
S
AUTHOR: Chesbro
B
AMENDED: April 13, 2000
HEARING DATE: April 26, 2000
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FISCAL: Appropriations
7
7
CONSULTANT:
0
McCarthy / ak
SUBJECT
Mental Health: client and family member empowerment
programs
SUMMARY
SB 1770 establishes a mental health client and family
empowerment grant program to enhance the role of clients
and families in the mental health system, as well as
improving the responsiveness of the mental health system to
clients and family members.
ABSTRACT
Existing law:
Requires the state Department of Mental Health (DMH) and
county mental health departments to administer a number
of programs to provide services to persons who have a
mental illness;
Provides that under Realignment, federal and state
Medi-Cal funds plus a portion of tax proceeds, are
provided to county mental health departments, which have
primary responsibility to provide mental health care to
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STAFF ANALYSIS OF SENATE BILL 1770 (CHESBRO) Page
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county residents.
This bill:
Makes Legislative findings regarding the value of
improving involvement of mental health clients and family
members in the delivery of mental health services;
Establishes a client and family empowerment grant program
to enhance the role of clients and families in the county
mental health programs;
Requires county applications for grant funds to include,
among other requirements, plans to expand: (1) training,
information and referral services for clients and family
members, and (2) client self-help programs and
family-to-family support activities.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
SB 1770 states that the DMH's responsibilities under this
bill would apply in any year in which funds are provided
for that purpose in the annual budget act.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
1.County Mental Health Program Services
Existing law establishes the county mental health
departments as the primary providers of mental health
care. Under Realignment, counties currently serve
approximately 200,000 persons with mental health
disorders annually.
2.Joint Committee on Mental Health Reform
In January, 2000, the Legislature created, through SCR
59, a Joint Committee on Mental Health Reform with the
purpose of identifying promising strategies and policy
recommendations relating to mental health treatment. The
Joint Committee has held public hearings in Sacramento,
Los Angeles, Santa Rosa and Oakland to receive testimony
of clients, family members, service providers and
advocates on recommendations for improvement of
California's mental health system.
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The Joint Committee received testimony on the status of
the mental health system and gaps in needed services. A
number of witnesses testified to lack of information
about, and access to, the mental health system. Also,
clients testified to the value of peer support
activities, including self-help groups and
family-to-family support programs.
3.Legislative intent and grant program
SB 1770 makes a number of Legislative findings including:
persons with mental illness and their families make
significant contributions toward the development of a
cohesive, high-quality mental health system, which is
enhanced when clients and family members are afforded
choices about methods of service delivery;
clients and families should have a leadership role in
the development, implementation, and oversight of
mental health policies;
counties should improve the exercise of consumer
choice in the determination of mental health treatment
and service programs;
delivery of appropriate and effective mental health
services and supports is improved by the involvement
of clients and families in the development of
treatment and service plans;
peer supports improve the participation of both
clients and family members in the mental health
system.
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SB 1770 requires DMH to administer a program of
competitive grants for county mental health programs that
improve services and supports for clients and families.
Proposals would be required to contain, among other
requirements, descriptions of how funds would result in:
establishment, expansion or improvement of training,
information and referral services for clients and for
family members;
expansion of the role of clients and family members in
the development of local policy;
establishment or expansion of self-help and other
client-run programs as well as family-to-family
support activities;
improved decision making and choices of clients and
family members.
Proposals also would be required to demonstrate that (1)
clients and family members participated in the
development of the proposal and (2) how the programs will
continue after state funding is terminated.
1.Arguments of Supporters
The author's stated purpose in introducing this bill is to
address a recurring theme noted during hearings of the
Joint Committee on Mental Health Reform:
"?there is a lack of respect and partnership felt by
clients and family members in the mental health
system. They lack information, access and a
meaningful role in system design and implementation.
The Committee also repeatedly heard from clients and
families who had benefited through peer support
activities, including self-help programs and
family-to-family support programs".
In support of this bill, the California Network of Mental
Health Clients argues that: "Self-help groups, instead
of treating individuals as diagnoses and labels, respect
them as human beings?thus developing service responses
that deal with the whole person. Self-help groups work
for many reasons, not the least of which is that clients
see other clients in positions of authority, as role
models, and thus have more confidence in their own
capabilities." Protection and Advocacy, Inc. comments in
support of this bill that it: "?is consistent with the
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principle that persons receiving mental health services
should be allowed to participate in every aspect of their
treatment, as are persons who receive other kinds of
health services."
POSITIONS
Support: California Child, Youth and Family Coalition
California Network of Mental Health Clients
NAMI California
Protection and Advocacy, Inc.
Oppose: None received
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